Saving every drop counts when we're in a drought

As Colorado continues to deal with worsening drought conditions, Denver Water is urging customers to do their part to help stretch our water supplies and Use Only What You Need.

“We’re seeing record-low snowpack, and that means less water will be flowing into our reservoirs. So, we really need everyone to help conserve water at home,” said Greg Fisher, Denver Water’s manager of demand planning. “There are lots of free and simple things we can do every day to save water, and over time, those small savings really add up to big savings that make a big difference.”

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On average, Denver Water customers use about 50 gallons of water per day in the home from showers, toilets and faucets.

Let’s take a look at how much water you can save with some simple lifestyle changes.

Shorter showers

OK, so who doesn’t love a nice hot shower? We all would probably say yes but shortening the time you spend singing your favorite tune under the hot water can really save plenty of precious drops.

According to the Environmental Protection Agency, standard showerheads use 2.5 gallons of water per minute, so if you took 5-minute showers instead of 10-minute showers, 7 days a week, you’d save 87.5 gallons of water every week or 4,550 gallons every year!

The savings really do add up, so even if you need some shower time, cutting back a minute will help.

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Brushing teeth

We can all probably admit that it’s easy to get a little lazy brushing those pearly whites. You squeeze the toothpaste on the brush, turn the faucet on and brush away.

But while you’re brushing, think about all that water going down the drain.

According to the EPA, turning off the water when you brush can save around 4-8 gallons of water every day. This same simple change also applies to washing your face, hands or shaving.

Over time, turning off the water can save up to 200 gallons every month and 2,400 gallons per year!

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Washing dishes

No one likes doing the dishes, but since it is something that has to be done, why not save some water in the process?

Most modern dishwashers can tackle the grit and grime, so just scrape the food off without doing any prewashing. Also, only run the dishwasher when it’s full.

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If you are handwashing, use the two-basin method to avoid having water run continuously while cleaning. 

• Fill one side of the sink with hot, soapy water for cleaning and fill the other side with water just for rinsing. (If you have a single-basin sink, use a plastic tub for the second basin.)
• Clean the least dirty dishes first to make the water last longer.
• Scrape leftover food off to avoid wasting water while scrubbing food off.

Washing machines

Everyone loves doing laundry, right? Well, maybe not, but to help cut down on the number of trips to the laundry room, similar to dishwashers, make sure you are only running the washing machine with a full load.

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Watch your water bill

Here’s a fun Friday night activity — checking out your water bill!

Well, hopefully, you have more enjoyable things to do, but it’s still a good idea to set aside some time to periodically review your water bill.

Many customers have their Denver Water bill set on autopay and may not look at it every month. Denver Water encourages customers to review their water bills and watch for anything out of the ordinary, as an unusually high bill could indicate a leak somewhere in your house.

If you have questions about your water bill, you can call Denver Water’s Customer Care team at 303-893-2444.